Sun.’s Devo - Victory In Jesus!

Read: Jeremiah 39:1-41:18; 2 Timothy 1:1-18; Psalm 90:1-91:16; Provers 26:1-2 The siege of Jerusalem lasted two and a half years beginning the 10th month of Zedekiah’s reign and ending the 4th month of the 11th year of his reign. Zedekiah and his officers tried to escape at night but were captured in the plains of Jericho. They took Zedikah to where Nebuchadnezzar was at Riblah and judgment was pronounced against him. He had to watch as they killed his sons and all his nobles. Then they gouged out his eyes so that was the last thing he would see. He was bound in chains and led to Babylon. *** Jerusalem was burned to the ground just like Jeremiah had said and only the poor were left to care for the land. Nebuchadnezzar had commanded his officer Nebuzaradan to find Jeremiah and make sure he was taken care of. He was to put him under the care of Gedaliah. *** God had told Jeremiah to tell Ebed-melech the Ethiopian who had saved Jeremiah from the cistern that he would be rescued because he trusted in the Lord. Nebuzaradan found Jeremiah in chains with the other people they were leading back to Babylon. He called him out and told him that he could choose to come to Babylon where they would care for him or stay in Jerusalem and be cared for there. Jeremiah chose to stay, so he gave Jeremiah food and money and let him go. (That is the what God meant when he said he would prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies.) *** Gedaliah was chosen by Nebuchadnezzar as the governor of the people left in Jerusalem. He ruled in Mizpah. The leaders of the Judean military groups in the countryside heard that he had been appointed the governor of the poor people left so they went to see him. Gedaliah had tried to comfort the people left and told them that he would be Babylon’s representative for them and no harm would come to them. People that had fled from the cities during the siege returned to the land and began to farm the land once again. *** Baalis, the king of Ammon saw this as an opportunity to take the land of Judah so he sent Ishmael to assassinate Gedaliah. Johanan tried to warn Gedaliah but he refused to believe it. Sure enough Ishmael, with ten of his men, went to meet with Gedaliah and they killed him as well as the Judean’s and the Babylonian soldiers who were with Gedaliah. *** The next day a group of 80 men had come to worship at the Temple of the Lord. Ishmael went to meet them crying as if he was mourning the slaughter of Gedaliah. He brought them back to see what had happened to Gedaliah and ambushed them once they were inside the city. He killed them and put their bodies in a cistern that had been dug by King Asa. *** Ishmael took the kings daughters and others who had been left under Gedliah’s care to the land of Ammon. *** Johanan who had tried to warn Gedaliah, heard of what had happened and along with other military leaders, pursued Ishmael and his men. They caught up with them and rescued all the people and took them to the village of Geruth-kimham near Bethlehem. They prepared to go to Egypt since they were afraid of what the Babylonians would do to them when they learned that their appointed governor and soldiers had all been killed. *** In Timothy’s second letter, Paul proclaims that he serves the Lord with a clear conscience which is the life promised through faith in Christ Jesus. Paul reminded Timothy that he had a rich heritage of faith that was shared with his grandmother Lois and his mother, Eunice. Lois means “no flight” and Eunice means “victorious”. So, God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline. He need never be ashamed to share the power of the gospel. This was God’s plan from the beginning of time - to show us his grace through Jesus. He broke the power of death and lit up the way to eternal life through him. *** Paul had been deserted of his friends and was in prison but his faith was strong in Christ who has the power to save and set free. Paul sent a shout out to Onesiphorus and his family because they visited and encouraged Paul even those he was in chains. *** Lord may we not be ashamed to proclaim your gospel to all we meet. Thank you for your precious promises to us who believe that you are the Christ, the Lord of All.